Systems and methods of engine stop/start control of an electrified powertrain

ABSTRACT

Systems, apparatuses, and methods disclosed provide for receiving internal information, external static information, and external dynamic information of a hybrid vehicle, and selectively enable or disable a stop/start function for the engine of the hybrid vehicle based on the internal hybrid vehicle information, external static information, and external dynamic information. The stop/start function controls selective activation and deactivation of the engine during operation of the hybrid vehicle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/222,573, filed Sep. 23, 2015, entitled “SYSTEMS ANDMETHODS OF ENGINE STOP/START CONTROL OF AN ELECTRIFIED POWERTRAIN,”which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods of enginestop/start control of powertrain systems for a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

In a vehicle, the powertrain or powertrain system refers to thecomponents that provide the power to propel the vehicle. Thesecomponents include the engine, transmission, the drive/propeller shaft,differentials, and a final drive. In operation and for an internalcombustion engine, the engine combusts a fuel to generate mechanicalpower in the form of a rotating crankshaft. The transmission receivesthe rotating crankshaft and manipulates the engine speed (i.e., therotation of the crankshaft) to control a rotation speed of thedrive/propeller shaft, which is also coupled to the transmission. Therotating drive shaft is received by a differential, which transmits therotational power to a final drive (e.g., wheels) to effect a movement ofthe vehicle. In an automobile, the differential enables the wheels, on ashared axle, to rotate at different speeds (e.g., during a turn, theouter wheel spins faster relative to the inner wheel to allow thevehicle to maintain its speed and line of travel).

In regard to a hybrid vehicle, conventional hybrid engine systemsgenerally include both an electric motor and an internal combustionengine that are capable of powering the drivetrain in order to propelthe car. A hybrid vehicle can have various configurations. For example,in a parallel configuration both the electric motor and the internalcombustion engine are operably connected to the drivetrain/transmissionto propel the vehicle. In a series configuration, the electric motor isoperably connected to the drivetrain/transmission and the internalcombustion engine indirectly power the drivetrain/transmission bypowering the electric motor.

During travel of a vehicle, there are many instances when the vehiclemay stop before the destination is reached. This may occur, for example,when the vehicle stops at traffic lights, cross-walks, stop signs andthe like. A vehicle with an electrified powertrain may enable astop/start function for starting and stopping the vehicle engine duringa driving event. For example, the engine is shut down if no power isrequired (e.g., while waiting at a traffic light). A battery of thevehicle may satisfy the vehicle's entire electrical needs when theengine is off. As soon as power is requested (e.g., when the driverreleases the brake pedal), the engine is automatically restarted. Byavoiding unnecessary engine idling, the vehicle's fuel economy may beimproved. For this reason, it is desirable to use the engine stop/startfunction as much as possible when certain engine stop conditions aresatisfied.

For a vehicle that is temporarily stopped on a hill, the engine or motormust work to maintain just enough torque to hold the vehicle fromrolling backwards. This is known as a “hill hold.” When operating underthis condition, the motor will use energy stored in the battery. If theengine is shut down, the battery will alone provide the torque neededand the battery life will be negatively affected. In addition, there areother situations where the engine is desired to work during a temporarystop of the vehicle, for example, in the situation of power steering orwhen heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) is on. Further,in many stop-and-go situations or vehicle creep situations (e.g., ascommonly experienced during heavy traffic), vehicles do not remainstopped long enough to effectively implement the start-stop feature.During these stop-and-go situations, the repeated restarting of theengine may cause excess battery drain. Accordingly, an engine stop/startcontrol system is desired that minimizes the power loss due to engineidling while also avoids overconsuming the battery.

SUMMARY

One embodiment relates to an apparatus. The apparatus includes aninternal information module structured to receive internal informationregarding operation of a hybrid vehicle; an external static informationmodule structured to receive external static information for a route ofthe hybrid vehicle, wherein the external static information is based ona position of the hybrid vehicle on the route; an external dynamicinformation module structured to receive external dynamic informationfor the route of the hybrid vehicle, wherein the external dynamicinformation is based on the position and a time of travel of the hybridvehicle at the position; and an engine stop/start module communicablycoupled to each of the internal information module, the external staticinformation module, and the external dynamic information module, whereinthe engine stop/start module is structured to selectively enable anddisable a stop/start function for the engine of the hybrid vehicle basedon at least one of the internal information, the external staticinformation, and the external dynamic information, wherein thestop/start function controls selective activation and deactivation ofthe engine during operation of the hybrid vehicle.

Another embodiment relates to a method. The method includes receiving,by a controller of a hybrid vehicle, internal hybrid vehicleinformation, external static information, and external dynamicinformation; and selectively enabling or disabling a stop/start functionfor the engine of the hybrid vehicle based on at least one of theinternal information, the external static information, and the externaldynamic information, wherein the stop/start function controls selectiveactivation and deactivation of the engine during operation of the hybridvehicle.

Yet another embodiment relates to a system. The system includes anengine, and a controller communicably and operatively coupled to theengine. According to one embodiment, the controller is structured to:receive at least one of the internal information, external staticinformation, and external dynamic information; and, selectively enableand disable a stop/start function for the engine based on at least oneof the internal information, the external static information, and theexternal dynamic information, wherein the stop/start function controlsselective activation and deactivation of the engine.

These and other features, together with the organization and manner ofoperation thereof, will become apparent from the following detaileddescription when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an intelligent transportation system,according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the controller used with the vehicle ofFIG. 1, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a method of controlling the stop/startfunction for an engine in a vehicle, according to an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of thedisclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated inthe drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. Itwill nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of thedisclosure is thereby intended, any alterations and furthermodifications in the illustrated embodiments, and any furtherapplications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated thereinas would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which thedisclosure relates are contemplated herein.

Referring to the Figures generally, the various embodiments disclosedherein relate to systems and methods of engine stop/start control basedon internal vehicle information, static external vehicle information(e.g., information that may change with distance but not with time), anddynamical external vehicle information (e.g., information that maychange with time and distance) for at least a partial hybrid vehicle(e.g., a vehicle that has an electrified powertrain). According to thepresent disclosure, a controller may be communicably coupled with one ormore external data providing sources (e.g., a telematics systemprovider, another vehicle via a Vehicle-to-Vehicle network, aVehicle-to-X network, etc.), such that the controller may receive dataand have a knowledge of one or more upcoming conditions for the vehicle.Based on these conditions, the controller may determine whether theengine is desired to work during a temporary stop of the vehicle. Inresponse, the controller may selectively disable or enable a stop/startfunction or feature for the engine. For example, the controller mayreceive data indicating that the vehicle is traveling on an uphill gradeand in response determine to disable the stop/start function so that theengine can contribute the torque needed for traversing the uphill grade.In another example, the controller may receive data indicative of anupcoming hill and in response plan on disabling the stop/start functionat the location of the hill. In a further example, the controller mayreceive data indicating of an upcoming turn where power steering isneeded and in response disable the stop/start function. In still afurther example, the controller may receive data indicative of trafficconditions (e.g., traffic lights, stop sign, etc.) and in responsedisable or enable the stop/start function. In yet another example, thecontroller may receive data indicative of ambient weather conditions(e.g., ambient temperature) and in response disable or enable thestop/start function. In this regard and beneficially, the systems,methods, and apparatuses may avoid the over consumption of the batterylife while at the same-time power loss due to engine idling may beminimized.

As used herein, the phrase “state of charge” (SOC) refers to the chargelevel of the battery (i.e., a current battery capacity versus themaximum battery capacity, usually expressed as a percentage). As alsoused herein, the phrase “battery life” refers to a cycle life of abattery (i.e., how many charge-discharge cycles a battery can endurebefore not satisfying specific performance criteria). Specificperformance criteria (e.g., battery capacity, and/or state of health(SOH)) may include any predefined acceptable operating range for thebattery. As used herein, “battery capacity” refers to the amount ofcharge a battery can deliver for a specific amount of time (expressed inampere-hours). For example, a 100 ampere-hours capacity refers to abattery that can deliver 5 amperes for 20 hours (5 amperes*20 hours=100ampere-hours). For example, a battery that is only capable of 75ampere-hours from its original 100 ampere-hours may be deemed to notmeet the minimum performance criteria of 80 ampere-hours. Also, as usedherein, the phrase “state of health” (SOH) refers to the current stateof battery life. In other words, the SOH refers to the amount of chargea battery can hold (typically, expressed as a percentage in relation toan original amount of charge capacity of the battery). The acceptableperformance criteria may be defined in regard to other variables and/orcharacteristics of the battery as well.

Referring now generally to FIG. 1, a schematic diagram of an intelligenttransportation system is shown according to one embodiment. Theintelligent transportation system (ITS) 50 is structured to provide anenvironment that facilitates and allows the exchange of information ordata (e.g., communications) between a vehicle, such as vehicle 100, andone or more other components or sources. In this regard and for example,the ITS 50 may include telematics systems that facilitate theacquisition and transmission of data acquired regarding the operation ofthe vehicle 100. As shown and generally speaking, the ITS 50 includes avehicle 100 communicably coupled via a network 51 to each of an externalstatic information source 170 and an external dynamic information source180, where the term “external” refers to a component or system outsideof the vehicle 100. The information/data may be stored inside or outsideof the vehicle 100.

The network 51 may be any type of communication protocol thatfacilitates the exchange of information between and among the vehicle100 and the external static and dynamic information sources 170 and 180.In this regard, the network 51 may communicably couple the vehicle 100with each of the external static and dynamic information sources 170 and180. In one embodiment, the network 51 may be configured as a wirelessnetwork. In this regard, the vehicle 100 may wirelessly transmit andreceive data from at least one of the external static and dynamicinformation sources 170 and 180. The wireless network may be any type ofwireless network, such as Wi-Fi, WiMax, Geographical Information System(GIS), Internet, Radio, Bluetooth, Zigbee, satellite, radio, Cellular,Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), General Packet RadioService (GPRS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), light signaling, etc. In analternate embodiment, the network 51 may be configured as a wirednetwork or a combination of wired and wireless protocol. For example,the controller 150 and/or telematics unit 130 of the vehicle 100 mayelectrically, communicably, and/or operatively couple via fiber opticcable to the network 51 to selectively transmit and receive datawirelessly to and from at least one of the external static and dynamicinformation sources 170 and 180.

The external static information source 170 may be any informationprovider capable of providing external static information, whereexternal static information refers to information or data (e.g., value,etc.) that may vary as a function of position (e.g., the grade of theroad may vary along a route) but is substantially unchanging withrespect to time. In this regard, the external static information source170 may include one or more map based databases 172, where the map baseddatabase 172 includes static information including, but not limited to,road grade data (e.g., the road grade at various spots along variousroutes), speed limit data (e.g., posted speed limits in various roadlocations), elevation or altitude data at various points along a route,curvature data at various points along a route, location ofintersections along a route, etc. It should be understood that thepresent disclosure contemplates other sources of external staticinformation (e.g., a global positioning system satellite that provideslatitude, longitude, and/or elevation data), such that the databaseconfiguration is not meant to be limiting or intended to be the onlytype of static information source contemplated.

The external dynamic information source 180 may be any external dynamicinformation provider, where external dynamic information refers toinformation or data (e.g., values, etc.) that may vary as a function ofboth time and location (e.g., construction speed limits). In thisregard, the external dynamic information source 180 may include anysource capable of providing the external dynamic information.Accordingly, the external dynamic information source 180 may includevehicle-to-vehicle 182 communications. In this regard, the vehicle 100may communicate with one or more other vehicles directly (e.g., via NFC,etc.) to obtain data regarding one or more upcoming conditions for thevehicle 100. In another embodiment, the external dynamic informationsource 182 may include a vehicle-to-X 184 configuration, where the “X”refers to any remote information providing source. For example and asshown in FIG. 1, the remote information providing source may include oneor more servers, computers, mobile devices, infrastructure components,etc. Accordingly, the external dynamic information may include, but isnot limited to, a traffic density at a particular location at aparticular time, a weather condition at a particular location at aparticular time, etc. Like the external static information sources 170,it should be understood that the present disclosure contemplates othersources of external dynamic information sources, such that the depictedexamples are not meant to be limiting or intended to be the only type ofdynamic information source contemplated.

Referring now to the vehicle 100 of FIG. 1, the vehicle 100 iscommunicably coupled with each of the external static and dynamicsources 170, 180 via the network 51. In the embodiment depicted, thevehicle 100 is structured as a hybrid vehicle having an internalcombustion engine 101 power source and a motor/generator 106 powersource. The vehicle 100 may be configured as any type of hybrid-poweredvehicle (e.g., a full electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid vehicle, etc.).As such, the vehicle 100 may be configured as an on-road or an off-roadvehicle including, but not limited to, line-haul trucks, mid-rangetrucks (e.g., pick-up truck), tanks, airplanes, and any other type ofvehicle that utilizes a transmission. Before delving into theparticulars of the ITS 50 in regard to the vehicle 100, the variouscomponents of the vehicle 100 may be described as follows. The vehicle100 is shown to generally include a powertrain system 110, an exhaustaftertreatment system 120, a telematics unit 130, a diagnostic andprognostic system 135, an operator input/output (I/O) device 140, and acontroller 150, where the controller 150 is communicably coupled to eachof the aforementioned components.

The powertrain system 110 facilitates power transfer from the engine 101and/or motor generator 106 to power and/or propel the vehicle 100. Thepowertrain system 110 includes an engine 101 and a motor generator 106operably coupled to a transmission 102 that is operatively coupled to adrive shaft 103, which is operatively coupled to a differential 104,where the differential 104 transfers power output from the engine 101and/or motor generator 106 to the final drive (shown as wheels 105) topropel the vehicle 100. In this regard, the powertrain system 110 isstructured as an electrified powertrain. The electrified powertrainincludes the motor generator 106, where the motor generator 106 mayinclude a torque assist feature, a regenerative braking energy captureability, a power generation ability, and any other feature of motorgenerators used in hybrid vehicles. In this regard, the motor generator106 may be any conventional motor generator that is capable ofgenerating electricity and produce a power output to drive thetransmission 102. The motor generator 106 may include one or more powerconditioning devices such as an inverter and motor controller, where themotor controller may be operationally and communicably coupled to thecontroller 150. The electrified powertrain may also include any one ormore of several electrified accessories including, but not limited to,an electrically driven/controlled air compressor, an electricallydriven/controlled engine cooling fan, an electrically driven/controlledheating venting and air conditioning system, an alternator, etc., wherethe controllability may stem from the controller 150. It should beunderstood that the present disclosure contemplates any and all othertypes of electrically-powered accessories that may be a part of thepowertrain system 110 and/or separate from the powertrain system 110 butincluded in the vehicle 100.

As a brief overview, the engine 101 receives a chemical energy input(e.g., a fuel such as gasoline or diesel) and combusts the fuel togenerate mechanical energy, in the form of a rotating crankshaft. Incomparison, the motor generator 106 may be in a power receivingrelationship with an energy source, such as battery 107 that provides aninput energy (and stores generated electrical energy) to the motorgenerator 106 for the motor generator 106 to output in form of useablework or energy to in some instances propel the vehicle 100 alone or incombination with the engine 101. In this configuration, the hybridvehicle 100 has a parallel drive configuration. However, it should beunderstood, that other configuration of the vehicle 100 are intended tofall within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure (e.g., aseries configuration and non-hybrid applications, such as a fullelectric vehicle, etc.). As a result of the power output from at leastone of the engine 101 and the motor generator 106, the transmission 102may manipulate the speed of the rotating input shaft (e.g., thecrankshaft) to effect a desired drive shaft 103 speed. The rotatingdrive shaft 103 is received by a differential 104, which provides therotation energy of the drive shaft 103 to the final drive 105. The finaldrive 105 then propels or moves the vehicle 100.

The engine 101 may be structured as any internal combustion engine(e.g., compression-ignition or spark-ignition), such that it can bepowered by any fuel type (e.g., diesel, ethanol, gasoline, etc.).Similarly, although termed a ‘motor generator’ 106 throughout the pagesof the disclosure, thus implying its ability to operate as both a motorand a generator, it is contemplated that the motor generator component,in some embodiments, may be an electric generator separate from theelectric motor of the hybrid vehicle 100. Furthermore, the transmission102 may be structured as any type of transmission, such as a continuousvariable transmission, a manual transmission, an automatic transmission,an automatic-manual transmission, a dual clutch transmission, etc.Accordingly, as transmissions vary from geared to continuousconfigurations (e.g., continuous variable transmission), thetransmission can include a variety of settings (gears, for a gearedtransmission) that affect different output speeds based on the enginespeed. Like the engine 101 and the transmission 102, the drive shaft103, differential 104, and final drive 105 may be structured in anyconfiguration dependent on the application (e.g., the final drive 105 isstructured as wheels in an automotive application and a propeller in anairplane application). Further, the drive shaft 103 may be structured asa one-piece, two-piece, and a slip-in-tube driveshaft based on theapplication.

Moreover, the battery 107 may be configured as any type of rechargeable(i.e., primary) battery and of any size. That is to say, the battery 107may be structured as any type of electrical energy storing and providingdevice, such as one or more capacitors (e.g., ultra capacitors, etc.)and/or one or more batteries typically used or that may be used inhybrid vehicles (e.g., Lithium-ion batteries, Nickel-Metal Hydridebatteries, Lead-acid batteries, etc.). The battery 107 may beoperatively and communicably coupled to the controller 150 to providedata indicative of one or more operating conditions or traits of thebattery 107. The data may include a temperature of the battery, acurrent into or out of the battery, a number of charge-discharge cycles,a battery voltage, etc. As such, the battery 107 may include one or moresensors coupled to the battery 107 that acquire such data. In thisregard, the sensors may include, but are not limited to, voltagesensors, current sensors, temperature sensors, etc.

As also shown, the vehicle 100 includes an exhaust aftertreatment system120 in fluid communication with the engine 101. The exhaustaftertreatment system 120 receives the exhaust from the combustionprocess in the engine 101 and reduces the emissions from the engine 101to less environmentally harmful emissions (e.g., reduce the NOx amount,reduce the emitted particulate matter amount, etc.). The exhaustaftertreatment system 120 may include any component used to reducediesel exhaust emissions, such as a selective catalytic reductioncatalyst, a diesel oxidation catalyst, a diesel particulate filter, adiesel exhaust fluid doser with a supply of diesel exhaust fluid, and aplurality of sensors for monitoring the system 120 (e.g., a NOx sensor).It should be understood that other embodiments may exclude an exhaustaftertreatment system and/or include different, less than, and/oradditional components than that listed above. All such variations areintended to fall within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

The vehicle 100 is also shown to include a telematics unit 130. Thetelematics unit 130 may be structured as any type of telematics controlunit. Accordingly, the telematics unit 130 may include, but is notlimited to, a location positioning system (e.g., global positioningsystem) to track the location of the vehicle (e.g., latitude andlongitude data, elevation data, etc.), one or more memory devices forstoring the tracked data, one or more electronic processing units forprocessing the tracked data, and a communications interface forfacilitating the exchange of data between the telematics unit 130 andone or more remote devices (e.g., a provider/manufacturer of thetelematics device, etc.). In this regard, the communications interfacemay be configured as any type of mobile communications interface orprotocol including, but not limited to, Wi-Fi,

WiMax, Internet, Radio, Bluetooth, Zigbee, satellite, radio, Cellular,GSM, GPRS, LTE, and the like. The telematics unit 130 may also include acommunications interface for communicating with the controller 150 ofthe vehicle 100. The communication interface for communicating with thecontroller 150 may include any type and number of wired and wirelessprotocols (e.g., any standard under IEEE 802, etc.). For example, awired connection may include a serial cable, a fiber optic cable, an SAEJ1939 bus, a CAT5 cable, or any other form of wired connection. Incomparison, a wireless connection may include the Internet, Wi-Fi,Bluetooth, Zigbee, cellular, radio, etc. In one embodiment, a controllerarea network (CAN) bus including any number of wired and wirelessconnections provides the exchange of signals, information, and/or databetween the controller 150 and the telematics unit 130. In otherembodiments, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), oran external computer (for example, through the Internet using anInternet Service Provider) may provide, facilitate, and supportcommunication between the telematics unit 130 and the controller 150. Instill another embodiment, the communication between the telematics unit130 and the controller 150 is via the unified diagnostic services (UDS)protocol. All such variations are intended to fall within the spirit andscope of the present disclosure.

The vehicle 100 is also shown to include a diagnostic and prognosticsystem 135. The diagnostic and prognostic system 135 may be configuredas any type of diagnostic and prognostic system. Accordingly, thediagnostic and prognostic system 135 may be communicably coupled to oneor more sensors, physical or virtual, positioned throughout the vehicle100 such that the diagnostic and prognostic system 135 may receive dateindicative of one or more fault conditions, potential symptoms,operating conditions to determine a status of a component (e.g.,healthy, problematic, malfunctioning, etc.). If the diagnostic andprognostic system 135 detects a fault, the diagnostic and prognosticsystem 135 may trigger, activate, or otherwise cause activation of afault code and provide an indication to the operator input/output device140 of the vehicle (e.g., a check engine light, etc.).

The operator input/output device 140 enables an operator of the vehicleto communicate with the vehicle 100 and the controller 150. For example,the operator input/output device 140 may include, but is not limited, aninteractive display (e.g., a touchscreen, etc.), an accelerator pedal, aclutch pedal, a shifter for the transmission, a cruise control inputsetting, etc. Via the input/output device 140, the operator candesignate preferred characteristics of one or more vehicle parameters.

As shown, the controller 150 is communicably coupled to the powertrainsystem 110, the exhaust aftertreatment system 120, the telematics unit130, the diagnostic and prognostic system 135, and the operatorinput/output device 140. Communication between and among the componentsmay be via any number of wired or wireless connections. For example, awired connection may include a serial cable, a fiber optic cable, a CAT5cable, or any other form of wired connection. In comparison, a wirelessconnection may include the Internet, Wi-Fi, cellular, radio, etc. In oneembodiment, a CAN bus provides the exchange of signals, information,and/or data. The CAN bus includes any number of wired and wirelessconnections. Because the controller 150 is communicably coupled to thesystems and components in the vehicle 100 of FIG. 1, the controller 150is structured to receive data (e.g., instructions, commands, signals,values, etc.) from one or more of the components shown in FIG. 1. Thismay generally be referred to as internal vehicle information 160 (e.g.,data, values, etc.). The internal vehicle 160 information representsdetermined, acquired, predicted, estimated, and/or gathered dataregarding one or more components in the vehicle 100.

Accordingly, the internal vehicle information 160 may include dataregarding the road situation the vehicle 100 is experiencing, forexample, the instantaneous road grade. The internal vehicle information160 may also include data regarding the battery 107. As mentioned above,the data regarding the battery 107 may include, but is not limited to, atemperature of the battery, a current into or out of the battery, anumber of charge-discharge cycles, a battery voltage, a battery state ofcharge, etc. The internal vehicle information 160 may also includeinformation from the diagnostic and prognostic system 135, which mayinclude, but is not limited to, one or more fault codes, dataidentifiers, diagnostic trouble codes, and so on. The internal vehicleinformation 160 may also include data regarding the motor generator 106.Data regarding the motor generator 106 may include, but is not limitedto, a power consumption rate, a power output rate, an hours of operationamount, a temperature, etc. The internal vehicle information 160 mayalso include other data regarding the powertrain system 110 (and othercomponents in the vehicle 100). For example, the data regarding thepowertrain system 110 may include, but is not limited to, the vehiclespeed, the current transmission gear/setting, the load on thevehicle/engine, the throttle position, a set cruise control speed, datarelating to the exhaust aftertreatment system 120, output power, enginespeed, fluid consumption rate (e.g., fuel consumption rate, dieselexhaust fluid consumption rate, etc.), any received engine/vehiclefaults (e.g., a fault code indicating a low amount of diesel exhaustfluid), engine operating characteristics (e.g., whether all thecylinders are activated or which cylinders are deactivated, etc.), etc.Data relating to the exhaust aftertreatment system 120 includes, but isnot limited to, NOx emissions, particulate matter emissions, andconversion efficiency of one or more catalysts in the system 120 (e.g.,the selective catalytic reduction catalyst).

The internal vehicle information may be stored by the controller 150 andselectively transmitted to one or more desired sources (e.g., anothervehicle such as in a vehicle-to-vehicle communication session, a remoteoperator, etc.). In other embodiments, the controller 150 may providethe internal vehicle information 160 to the telematics unit 130 wherebythe telematics unit transmits the internal vehicle information 160 toone or more desired sources (e.g., a remote device, an operator of thetelematics unit, etc.). All such variations are intended to fall withinthe spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

In this regard because the components of FIG. 1 are shown to be embodiedin a vehicle 100, the controller 150 may be structured as an electroniccontrol module (ECM). The ECM may include a transmission control unitand any other control unit included in a vehicle (e.g., exhaustaftertreatment control unit, engine control module, powertrain controlmodule, etc.). In other embodiments, the controller 150 may be its ownECM. All such variations are intended to fall within the scope of thepresent disclosure. The function and structure of the controller 150 areshown described in greater detail in FIG. 2.

Accordingly, referring now to FIG. 2, the function and structure of thecontroller 150 are shown according to one example embodiment. Thecontroller 150 is shown to include a processing circuit 201 including aprocessor 202 and a memory 203. The processor 202 may be implemented asa general-purpose processor, an application specific integrated circuit(ASIC), one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), a digitalsignal processor (DSP), a group of processing components (e.g., two ormore processors and memory devices and any other processing components),or other suitable electronic processing components. The one or morememory devices 203 (e.g., NVRAM, RAM, ROM, Flash Memory, hard diskstorage, etc.) may store data and/or computer code for facilitating thevarious processes described herein. Thus, the one or more memory devices203 may be communicably connected to the controller 150 and providecomputer code or instructions to the controller 150 for executing theprocesses described in regard to the controller 150 herein. Moreover,the one or more memory devices 203 may be or include tangible,non-transient volatile memory or non-volatile memory. Accordingly, theone or more memory devices 203 may include database components, objectcode components, script components, or any other type of informationstructure for supporting the various activities and informationstructures described herein.

The memory 203 is shown to include various modules for completing theactivities described herein. More particularly, the memory 203 includesan internal information module 204, a static information module 205, anda dynamic information module 206, all of which are communicably coupledto an engine stop/start control module 208. While various modules withparticular functionality are shown in FIG. 2, it should be understoodthat the controller 150 and memory 203 may include any number of modulesfor completing the functions described herein. For example, theactivities of multiple modules may be combined as a single module, asadditional modules with additional functionality may be included, etc.Further, it should be understood that the controller 150 may furthercontrol other vehicle activity beyond the scope of the presentdisclosure.

Certain operations of the controller 150 described herein includeoperations to interpret and/or to determine one or more parameters.Interpreting or determining, as utilized herein, includes receivingvalues by any method known in the art, including at least receivingvalues from a datalink or network communication, receiving an electronicsignal (e.g. a voltage, frequency, current, or PWM signal) indicative ofthe value, receiving a computer generated parameter indicative of thevalue, reading the value from a memory location on a non-transientcomputer readable storage medium, receiving the value as a run-timeparameter by any means known in the art, and/or by receiving a value bywhich the interpreted parameter can be calculated, and/or by referencinga default value that is interpreted to be the parameter value.

The internal information module 204 is structured to receive, gather,and/or acquire internal vehicle information. In one embodiment, theinternal information module 204 is structured to receive instantaneousroad grade information from a grade sensor 220 installed in the vehicle.In one embodiment, the internal information module 204 includescommunication circuitry for facilitating reception of the internalinformation. In still another embodiment, the internal informationmodule 204 includes machine-readable content for receiving and storingthe internal information. In yet another embodiment, the internalinformation module 204 includes any combination of data acquisitiondevices, communication circuitry, and machine readable content. Asmentioned above, the internal information may include any type ofinternal information regarding the vehicle 100 and from the vehicle 100itself (e.g., an instantaneous road grade, a vehicle speed, a load onthe vehicle, a torque output, a transmission setting, an enginetemperature, one or more fault codes or a history of fault codes, etc.).The internal information module 204 is structured to provide theacquired and/or gathered internal information to the engine stop/startmodule 208.

The static information module 205 is structured to receive, gather,and/or acquire external static information 170 from one or more externalstatic information sources (e.g., the map database 172) and provide ortransmit the external static information to the engine stop/start module208. The static information module 205 may also store the receivedexternal static information, where the storage configuration may bevariable from application-to-application (e.g., store external staticinformation for the past thirty days, etc.). In this regard, the staticinformation module 205 may correlate various pieces of staticinformation with frequently traveled routes for the vehicle 100 in orderto facilitate fast retrieval and use. For example, if an operatorfrequently travels (e.g., once a month) from Wisconsin to Florida, thestatic information may include toll locations, intersections, speedlimits, road grade, etc. for various parts along the route.Advantageously, this information may be recalled by the staticinformation module 205 to provide to the engine stop/start module 208on-demand. As mentioned above, the static information may include anypiece of information or data that is static in nature (e.g., unchangingwith respect to location, such as the road grade, curvature,intersection, and turn at a various location). Accordingly, the staticinformation module 205 may include communication circuitry or othercommunication devices that facilitate the acquisition and reception ofthe external static information 170. In another embodiment, the staticinformation module 205 may include machine readable content forfacilitating the acquisition and reception of the external staticinformation 170. In yet another embodiment, the static informationmodule 205 may include any combination of hardware (e.g., communicationcomponents) and machine-readable content.

The dynamic information module 206 is structured to receive, acquire,and/or gather external dynamic information 180 from one or more externaldynamic information sources (e.g., a remote device, another vehicle, aninfrastructure component, etc.). As mentioned above, the externaldynamic information 180 may include any information or data that maychange with respect to time and distance (e.g., traffic condition,weather conditions such as temperature, etc.). In response, the dynamicinformation module 206 is structured to transmit or provide the receivedexternal dynamic information 180 to the engine stop/start module 208.Similar to the static information module 205, the dynamic informationmodule 206 may include one or more configurability options that dictatehow long various pieces of dynamic information are stored. For example,the wind speed may be measured at a certain rate at a certain time andlocation, which is stored by the dynamic information module 206. Thedynamic information module 206 may update the stored wind speed upon amanual update from the operator (e.g., a refresh input received via theI/O device 140) and/or upon a configuration that dictates or defines howoften the dynamic data is provided to the controller 150. This maychange as the vehicle is operated. In regard to the above example, thewind speed may be different at different times at the same locationalong the route from Wisconsin to Florida. Other examples of externaldynamic information includes traffic conditions, average speeds ofvehicles on the road, detection of stop-go traffic, ambient temperature,etc. Accordingly, the dynamic information module 206 is structured toupdate or trigger an update by sending an alert to the dynamic externalinformation source in advance of the vehicle travelling a certainlocation. Like the static information module 205, the dynamicinformation module 206 may include communication circuitry (e.g.,relays, wiring, etc.) or other communication devices that facilitate theacquisition and reception of the external dynamic information 180. Inanother embodiment, the dynamic information module 206 may includemachine readable content for facilitating the acquisition and receptionof the external static information 180. In yet another embodiment, thedynamic information module 206 may include any combination of hardware(e.g., communication components) and machine-readable content.

In regard to either the external dynamic information or the externalstatic information, both pieces may be received by each respectivemodule 205 and 206 in advance of the vehicle 100 traveling a route orreaching a location. For example, if an operator designates a route forthe vehicle 100, then the modules 205 and 206 may provide requests tothe external static and dynamic information sources to receive the dataat various points along the route. The external dynamic information maybe periodically updated to account for changing conditions. If theoperator does not designate a route, the modules 205 and 206, based onthe current location and direction of travel of the vehicle 100, mayutilize a relatively smaller window to request static and dynamicexternal information for locations/spots/positions that the vehicle 100is likely to encounter. For example, if the operator is on a road withno turn-offs for two miles, the modules 205 and 206 can request dynamicand static external information for those two miles because thecontroller 150 may determine that the vehicle 100 must continue on thispath. If the vehicle is in a busy area in a metropolitan area where oneof several different routes may be traversed at any moment, the modules205 and 206 may employ a region or zone of interest for acquiringexternal static and dynamic information (e.g., a two square mile radiusor any predefined radius about the vehicle). The received data may thenbe correlated or associated with wherever the operator chooses to directthe vehicle 100 within that two square mile zone of interest. This zoneof interest may then move with the vehicle 100. Of course, it should beunderstood that the present disclosure contemplates other techniques,methods, and strategies that may be used to control the frequency ofexternal dynamic and static data providing based on location, such thatall possible strategies are intended to fall within the spirit and scopeof the present disclosure.

Turning now to the engine stop/start module 208, as shown, the enginestop/start module is structured to receive the internal information,external static information, and external dynamic information from eachof the internal information module 204, static information module 205,and dynamic information module 206, respectively. In response, theengine stop/start module 208 is structured to selectively enable/disablethe stop/start function for the engine 101. The stop/start functioncontrols selective activation and deactivation of the engine 101 duringoperation of the hybrid vehicle 100 (i.e., turning the engine on oroff). The start-stop function may stop the engine 101 during periods ofexpected extended idling (e.g., while the vehicle is stopped at a stoplight) to conserve fuel. As discussed in further detail below, theengine stop/start module 208 may enable the start-stop feature based on,for example, predicting an extended idling by the engine 101 period byanalyzing the route characteristics. When the stop/start function isdisabled, instead of being turned off, the engine 101 may idle when thevehicle is motionless. The engine stop/start module 208 may disable thestart-stop function during the hill hold situations, the power steeringsituations, or during detected creep or short stop-and-go situations,such as those experienced during heavy traffic. During these situations,although the vehicle 100 may stop for short periods of time, the engine101 may be desired to work in order to avoid excess battery drain due tooverconsumption of the battery 107 or repeated restarting of the engine101. Accordingly, the engine stop/start module 208 is structured toidentify these situations and to disable the start-stop function duringthese identified situations. In an embodiment, the engine stop/startcontrol module 208 includes communication circuitry to provide one ormore commands to the engine 101. In yet another embodiment, the enginestop/start control module 208 includes machine-readable content forfacilitating the reception and provision of various commands to controlthe engine 101.

The engine stop/start control module 208 may utilize the internalinformation from module 204 (e.g., the instantaneous road grade) todecide whether to enable or disable the stop/start function for theengine 101. For example, when the vehicle 100 is stopped on a uphill,the grade sensor detects 220 that the instantaneous road grade is 7percent (or another predefined value indicative of an uphill grade—ofcourse, the “uphill grade predefined value” is highly configurable andmay vary from application-to-application). The engine stop/start controlmodule 208 receives the data of the instantaneous road grade from theinternal information module 204 and compares the data to a predeterminedroad grade threshold (e.g., 5 percent). The predetermined gradethreshold may vary with the load of the vehicle 100. In responsive tothe determination that the instantaneous road grade exceeds thethreshold, the engine stop/start control module 208 disables thestop/start function for the engine 101. As a result, the engine 101 maywork alone or together with the motor 106 to maintain enough torque tohold the vehicle from rolling backwards. Were the stop/start functionnot disabled, the motor alone would have to contribute to the neededtorque and the battery 107 would be or likely would be over consumed.

The engine stop/start control module 208 may also determine, estimate,and/or predict a likely upcoming road grade the vehicle 100 will beexperiencing and planning on disabling the stop/start functionaccordingly. For example, the static information may indicate that in0.5 miles, the road transitions from a relatively flat grade to a 7percent grade uphill based on GPS location information and/or map baseddatabase. The engine stop/start control module 208 receives the data ofthe upcoming road grade and the distance from the static informationmodule 205 and compares the upcoming road grade to a predetermined roadgrade threshold (e.g., 5 percent). In response to the determination thatthe instantaneous road grade exceeds the threshold, the enginestop/start control module 208 plans on disabling the stop/start functionfor the engine 101 at the uphill spot. For example, the enginestop/start control module 208 may disable the stop/start function inadvance when the vehicle is within a predetermined distance (e.g., 0.5mile) to the uphill spot. Or, the engine stop/start control module 208may hold off until the GPS information indicates that the vehiclereaches the uphill spot.

The engine stop/start control module 208 may also receive data of apotential turn the vehicle 100 will be experiencing and in responsedisables the stop/start function. For example, the vehicle 100 isstopped at an intersection and the GPS indicates that the vehicle is ona turning lane (e.g., left-turn lane, right-turn lane). The enginestop/start control module 208 then decides whether the driver will needto use the steering wheel based on the road topology. In response todetermining that power steering is needed, the engine stop/start controlmodule 208 will disable the stop/start function for the engine 101. As aresult, the engine 101 will work alone or together with the motor 106 toprovide torque needed for power steering.

The engine stop/start control module 208 may also receive dataindicative of traffic conditions and in response enables/disables thestop/start function. For example, the vehicle 100 is stopped at anintersection and the external dynamic information indicates that thetraffic light is red. The engine stop/start module 208 then enables thestop/start function for the engine 101 because the stop at a trafficlight might last tens of seconds. Enabling the stop/start function willsave the power from engine idling. In another example, stop of thevehicle 100 at the intersection is due to a stop sign (for example, afour-way stop sign). The external dynamic information further indicatesthat there are no vehicles at the other three sides of the four-wayintersection. The engine stop/start control module 208 may then disablethe stop/start function for the engine 101 because the vehicle will move(i.e., start traveling, change locations, etc.) very shortly (e.g., in afew seconds). In a further example, received data may indicate a heavytraffic, and the engine stop/start control module 208 may disable thestop/start function to avoid repeated restarting of the engine 101 inorder to, among other benefits, reduce fuel consumption.

The engine stop/start control module 208 may also receive dataindicative of ambient weather conditions and in response enable ordisable the stop/start function. For example, external dynamicinformation indicates that the ambient temperature is 90 degreesFahrenheit (or 50 degrees Fahrenheit) when the vehicle is at atemporarily stop. The engine stop/start control module 208 compares theambient temperature to a predetermined set point for the heat,ventilating, air conditioning (HVAC) system. In response to determiningthat the ambient temperature is significantly higher (or lower) than theHVAC set point, the engine may need to stay on to keep the HVAC systemworking. As a result, the engine stop/start module 208 may disable thestop/start function.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a flow diagram of a method of controlling astop/start feature in a vehicle is shown according to one embodiment.Because method 300 may be implemented with the controller 150 and in thesystem 100, reference may be made to one or more features of thecontroller 150 and the system 100 to explain method 300.

At process 301, internal vehicle information, external staticinformation, and external dynamic information for a vehicle is received.The interval vehicle information, external static information, andexternal dynamic information may have the same definition as describedherein above. The information may be received by the controller 150. Inanother embodiment, at least some of the information may be acquired orfacilitated to be acquired by the controller 150 (e.g., the controller150 may command the road grade sensor to acquire data indicative of aninstantaneous or near instantaneous road grade setting for the vehicle).As an example, the internal vehicle information may include aninstantaneous road grade, the external static information may include anupcoming road grade or a turn, and the external dynamic information mayinclude traffic conditions or ambient weather conditions.

At process 302, the engine stop/start control module 208 selectivelyenable and disable the stop/start function for the engine 101 of thehybrid vehicle 100 based on the internal vehicle information, externalstatic information, and external dynamic information.

In particular, as discussed herein above, the engine stop/start controlmodule 208 may disable the stop/start function if the instantaneous roadgrade exceeds a predetermined road grade threshold. The enginestop/start control module 208 may also disable the stop/start functionat an upcoming uphill spot. The engine stop/start control module 208 mayalso disable the stop/start function if power steering will be neededfor an upcoming turn. The engine stop/start control module 208 may alsoselectively enable or disable the stop/start function based on differenttraffic conditions, as discussed above. The engine stop/start controlmodule 208 may also disable the stop/start function if the ambienttemperature is significantly higher or lower than a HVAC set point.

It should be noted that the processes of the methods described hereinmay be utilized with the other methods, although described in regard toa particular method. It should further be noted that the term “example”as used herein to describe various embodiments is intended to indicatethat such embodiments are possible examples, representations, and/orillustrations of possible embodiments (and such term is not intended toconnote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary orsuperlative examples).

Example and non-limiting module implementation elements include sensors(e.g., coupled to the components and/or systems in FIG. 1) providing anyvalue determined herein, sensors providing any value that is a precursorto a value determined herein, datalink and/or network hardware includingcommunication chips, oscillating crystals, communication links, cables,twisted pair wiring, coaxial wiring, shielded wiring, transmitters,receivers, and/or transceivers, logic circuits, hard-wired logiccircuits, reconfigurable logic circuits in a particular non-transientstate configured according to the module specification, any actuatorincluding at least an electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic actuator, asolenoid, an op-amp, analog control elements (springs, filters,integrators, adders, dividers, gain elements), and/or digital controlelements.

The schematic flow chart diagrams and method schematic diagramsdescribed above are generally set forth as logical flow chart diagrams.As such, the depicted order and labeled steps are indicative ofrepresentative embodiments. Other steps, orderings and methods may beconceived that are equivalent in function, logic, or effect to one ormore steps, or portions thereof, of the methods illustrated in theschematic diagrams.

Additionally, the format and symbols employed are provided to explainthe logical steps of the schematic diagrams and are understood not tolimit the scope of the methods illustrated by the diagrams. Althoughvarious arrow types and line types may be employed in the schematicdiagrams, they are understood not to limit the scope of thecorresponding methods. Indeed, some arrows or other connectors may beused to indicate only the logical flow of a method. For instance, anarrow may indicate a waiting or monitoring period of unspecifiedduration between enumerated steps of a depicted method. Additionally,the order in which a particular method occurs may or may not strictlyadhere to the order of the corresponding steps shown. It will also benoted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart diagrams,and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchartdiagrams, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systemsthat perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of specialpurpose hardware and program code.

Many of the functional units described in this specification have beenlabeled as modules, in order to more particularly emphasize theirimplementation independence. For example, a module may be implemented asa hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits or gate arrays,off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or otherdiscrete. components. A module may also be implemented in programmablehardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmablearray logic, programmable logic devices or the like.

Modules may also be implemented in machine-readable medium for executionby various types of processors. An identified module of executable codemay, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks ofcomputer instructions, which may, for instance, be organized as anobject, procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of anidentified module need not be physically located together, but maycomprise disparate instructions stored in different locations which,when joined logically together, comprise the module and achieve thestated purpose for the module.

Indeed, a module of computer readable program code may be a singleinstruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed overseveral different code segments, among different programs, and acrossseveral memory devices. Similarly, operational data may be identifiedand illustrated herein within modules, and may be embodied in anysuitable form and organized within any suitable type of data structure.The operational data may be collected as a single data set, or may bedistributed over different locations including over different storagedevices, and may exist, at least partially, merely as electronic signalson a system or network. Where a module or portions of a module areimplemented in machine-readable medium (or computer-readable medium),the computer readable program code may be stored and/or propagated on inone or more computer readable medium(s).

The computer readable medium may be a tangible computer readable storagemedium storing the computer readable program code. The computer readablestorage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic,magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, holographic,micromechanical, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or anysuitable combination of the foregoing.

More specific examples of the computer readable medium may include butare not limited to a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a randomaccess memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmableread-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a portable compact discread-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disc (DVD), an opticalstorage device, a magnetic storage device, a holographic storage medium,a micromechanical storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storagemedium may be any tangible medium that can contain, and/or storecomputer readable program code for use by and/or in connection with aninstruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

The computer readable medium may also be a computer readable signalmedium. A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated datasignal with computer readable program code embodied therein, forexample, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagatedsignal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limitedto, electrical, electro-magnetic, magnetic, optical, or any suitablecombination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be anycomputer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage mediumand that can communicate, propagate, or transport computer readableprogram code for use by or in connection with an instruction executionsystem, apparatus, or device. Computer readable program code embodied ona computer readable signal medium may be transmitted using anyappropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline,optical fiber cable, Radio Frequency (RF), or the like, or any suitablecombination of the foregoing

In one embodiment, the computer readable medium may comprise acombination of one or more computer readable storage mediums and one ormore computer readable signal mediums. For example, computer readableprogram code may be both propagated as an electro-magnetic signalthrough a fiber optic cable for execution by a processor and stored onRAM storage device for execution by the processor.

Computer readable program code for carrying out operations for aspectsof the present invention may be written in any combination of one ormore programming languages, including an object oriented programminglanguage such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventionalprocedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming languageor similar programming languages. The computer readable program code mayexecute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer,as a stand-alone computer-readable package, partly on the user'scomputer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remotecomputer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may beconnected to the user's computer through any type of network, includinga local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or theconnection may be made to an external computer (for example, through theInternet using an Internet Service Provider).

The program code may also be stored in a computer readable medium thatcan direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, orother devices to function in a particular manner, such that theinstructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an articleof manufacture including instructions which implement the function/actspecified in the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic blockdiagrams block or blocks.

Accordingly, the present disclosure may be embodied in other specificforms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics.The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only asillustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the disclosure is,therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription. All changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus, comprising: an internal informationmodule structured to receive internal information regarding operation ofa hybrid vehicle; an external static information module structured toreceive external static information for a route of the hybrid vehicle,wherein the external static information is based on a position of thehybrid vehicle on the route; an external dynamic information modulestructured to receive external dynamic information for the route of thehybrid vehicle, wherein the external dynamic information is based on theposition and a time of travel of the hybrid vehicle at the position; andan engine stop/start module communicably coupled to each of the internalinformation module, the external static information module, and theexternal dynamic information module, wherein the engine stop/startmodule is structured to: selectively enable and disable a stop/startfunction for the engine of the hybrid vehicle based on at least one ofthe internal information, the external static information, and theexternal dynamic information, wherein the stop/start function controlsselective activation and deactivation of the engine during operation ofthe hybrid vehicle.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the internalhybrid vehicle information includes an instantaneous road grade, andwherein the engine stop/start control module is structured to disablethe stop/start function for the engine if the instantaneous road gradeexceeds a predetermined road grade threshold.
 3. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the external static information includes at least one of GPSlocation and map-based database, wherein the engine stop/start module isfurther structured to determine an upcoming road grade based on the atleast one of GPS location and map-based database, and to disable thestop/start function for the engine if the upcoming road grade exceeds apredetermined road grade threshold.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe external static information includes at least one of GPS locationand map-based database, wherein the engine stop/start module is furtherstructured to determine an upcoming turn based on the at least one ofGPS location and map-based database, and to disable the stop/startfunction for the engine if a power steering requirement is needed forthe upcoming turn.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the externaldynamic information includes traffic conditions.
 6. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the external dynamic information includes ambientweather condition, and wherein the engine stop/start module is furtherstructured to disable the stop/start function based on a differencebetween an ambient temperature and a set point of a HVAC exceeding apredetermined threshold.
 7. A method, comprising: receiving, by acontroller of a hybrid vehicle, internal hybrid vehicle information,external static information, and external dynamic information; andselectively enabling or disabling a stop/start function for an engine ofthe hybrid vehicle based on at least one of the internal hybrid vehicleinformation, the external static information, and the external dynamicinformation, wherein the stop/start function controls selectiveactivation and deactivation of the engine during operation of the hybridvehicle.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the internal hybrid vehicleinformation includes an instantaneous road grade, and wherein saidselectively enabling or disabling includes disabling the stop/startfunction for the engine if the instantaneous road grade exceeds apredetermined road grade threshold.
 9. The method of claim 7, whereinthe external static information includes at least one of GPS locationand map-based database, wherein the method further comprises:determining, by the controller of the hybrid vehicle, an upcoming roadgrade based on the at least one of GPS location and map-based database;and disabling the stop/start function for the engine at each locationwhere the upcoming road grade exceeds a predetermined road gradethreshold.
 10. The method of claim 7, wherein the external staticinformation includes at least one of GPS location and map-baseddatabase, and the method further comprising: determining, by thecontroller of the hybrid vehicle, an upcoming turn based on the at leastone of GPS location and map-based database; and disabling the stop/startfunction for the engine responsive to a power steering requirementdetermined to be needed for the upcoming turn.
 11. The method of claim7, wherein the external dynamic information includes traffic conditions.12. The method of claim 7, wherein the external dynamic informationincludes ambient weather condition, and wherein said determiningincludes disabling the stop/start function for the engine based on adifference between an ambient temperature and a set point of a HVACexceeding a predetermined threshold.
 13. A system, comprising: anengine; and a controller communicably and operatively coupled to theengine, the controller structured to: receive at least one of theinternal information, external static information, and external dynamicinformation; selectively enable and disable a stop/start function forthe engine based on at least one of the internal information, theexternal static information, and the external dynamic information,wherein the stop/start function controls selective activation anddeactivation of the engine.
 14. The system of claim 13, wherein theinternal information includes an instantaneous road grade, and whereinthe engine stop/start control module is structured to disable thestop/start function for the engine if the instantaneous road gradeexceeds a predetermined road grade threshold.
 15. The system of claim13, wherein the external static information includes at least one of GPSlocation and map-based database, wherein the engine stop/start module isfurther structured to determine an upcoming road grade based on the atleast one of GPS location and map-based database, and to disable thestop/start function for the engine if the upcoming road grade exceeds apredetermined road grade threshold.
 16. The system of claim 13, whereinthe external static information includes at least one of GPS locationand map-based database, wherein the engine stop/start module is furtherstructured to determine an upcoming turn based on the at least one ofGPS location and map-based database, and to disable the stop/startfunction for the engine if a power steering requirement is needed forthe upcoming turn.
 17. The system of claim 13, wherein the externaldynamic information includes traffic conditions.
 18. The system of claim13, wherein the external dynamic information includes ambient weathercondition, and wherein the engine stop/start module is furtherstructured to disable the stop/start function based on a differencebetween an ambient temperature and a set point of a HVAC exceeding apredetermined threshold.
 19. The system of claim 13, wherein the systemis included in a hybrid vehicle.
 20. The system of claim 13, furthercomprising a telematics unit and a motor/generator, wherein each of themotor/generator and the telematics unit are couple to the controller.